Sympathy for the devil
by WeEeEeEeEe
Summary: It's just the sinuous steps. A Season 1 story. SS


I needed something fun and light to write about. My other stories are sad and intense, so I need to even out. :) Sorry about the lame beggining...

-

There was this guy, a psychologist or whatever, who proclaimed that there were seven different types of intelligence. A variety of seven areas of intelligence that we have at our control to use how we see fit. They all have different areas of effects; music and maths etc. But the most important one he declared to be was interpersonal intelligence, or social intelligence.

He said it was the one that held the most power, the one out of all seven to contain the relished spark that was such a desired human quality. You see it is the quality that is fundamentally human. Humans are social creatures; we need to talk to one another. If you put someone out stranded on an island by themselves they will essentially go crazy. We need to talk to others, need to relate. It as much of a need as eating and drinking.

Just like in other areas of intelligence, you can have people who are smart, (mathematically smart, and socially smart). But social intelligence ventures deeper then opening a book and going to town on it. It stretches through into your mind, heart and soul; to your very being. It bares contact with your personality, but personality can be driven by emotion. Social intelligence is the comings of all these things slated in one form.

You know that cousin you have or that girl/guy in school who everyone seems to like and never seems to get in trouble, even though they are naughty and constantly doing wrong, they just never get into trouble. I'm talking about that person who everyone genuinely likes, who can spark up a conversation out of nothing, leaving you at the end like you just had a deep and meaningful; how they manoeuvre around conflict, able to tone down what people are angry about, able to make people feel different ways about different things. It's those people.

There appearance also comes into play too. But its not that they are good looking or not, it's their aura, the air that they carry themselves in.

It's one thing to be social smart but another to be extremely smart; socially gifted. There are different ways that people become socially intelligently gifted. You can be born with the gift, or you can slowly learn about it as you grow. Some socially gifted people you can simply lay eyes on and purely already like. Some you simply talk for a couple of minuets, and you think, "He/she is so funny and cool, one of the best people I know."

They just have that twinged appearance, quality and air, they just exuded this impression that makes you like them even before you think it.

Apparently it's how they subconsciously access the person, their social awareness of the situation and their ability to react and think spontaneously. They usually have exceptionally quick minds which allows them to think and respond to a more a tuned response.

What Mr Psychologist once again declared was so special about this intelligence was that it gave the ability for people to influence others. And that is what separated it from the others.

Cause now it could be shaped and moulded in to an ability; influence evolving into manipulation.

And manipulation is a _very _precious thing.

You see because influence is such a floating employee, it is just drifting along asking to be exploited.

Oh, and it has.

It has been ripped opened, every crevasse search, inspected and learned. Every single fibre of its existence scrutinized and studied.

Studied to an art.

Influence (plus) exploited (equals) manipulation.

Manipulation, it's when our emotions lead us wrong, cause we only exploit things when our emotions take control, the high road looks too complicated and complex to walk on or through.

Manipulation has been studied to an art. It has become a form of art.

Some people say that manipulation is the Devil's art form…

Influence it's a powerful tool, and it's at the finger tips of these socially intelligent people, manipulation isn't to far away.

Mr psychology once said that watching and observing people amused him. He loved to see what people would say next. What people's minds would ignite to, how they would respond, and why they chose to answer how they did.

But what fascinated him the most was when two socially gifted people would conversate. But not just normally. He loved to see them when they were passionately arguing, how they articulated themselves, and the fierce exhilaration of what's going to be said next as they both contest for dominance in manipulating each other.

-

"So Summer… what's your schedule look like?"

"Full."

"Really? Sucks to be you then."

"Well, not really full." She looked at him slyly. "But you're on a need to know basis, and that's all you need to know." She smiled too sweetly. Cohen and his questions.

Seth shrugged feigning nonchalance. "Fine then, be like that. I won't tell you what my schedule is like then."

Summer raised an eyebrow smirking amusedly. "Is that supposed to make me want to tell you what mines like?"

"Yes."

Summer laughed in his face. "Okay, let me break it down for you Cohen." She waited a moment, basking in the joy, knowing that he was enthusiastically waiting for her response. "The chance of me telling you what my schedule is mirrors the chance of you and me getting married one fine day, with pretty flowers and pretty cake and pretty me.

"Nice choice of details."

Summer shrugged arrogantly. "Just me trying to articulate how things are."

"Why you looking so…smug, like you know it."

Summer simply smiled back calculatingly, that sneaky subtle smile that basically patronizingly screams in that sing song voice, 'I know something you don't know'.

Seth challenged Summer's unique smile. "Fine, whatever. But you know by the end of today I will get you to tell me your schedule." He said it so smoothly, looking so arrogant and for some reason confident.

So of cause Summer had to think of the most demeaning thing to say to put him back in his place. "Ohh poor thing is delusional too." She patted his shoulder in the same manner as you would pat a wounded puppy.

Seth stepped aside, leaving Summer's hand to abseil back to her side. "If you want reason to touch me all you gots to do is ask… and secondly… I am not delusional, I'm sain, you are the delusional one."

Summer leaned on her left foot, left hand poised on her hip while her right dangled carelessly. "Yea, I'm crazy - I know it." she raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah I do to." Yeah… he knew it as clear as Summer oozed…_that stuff_...-

"Really, huh."

Seth pursed his lips, nodding earnestly.

She kept her eyes on him. "Is that right…" she said whilst taking a small step towards him, effectively vanishing the space between them.

"Yup." He returned her gaze wearily taking a step back.

"So can I touch you now?"

He knows she's got something playing through her mind, her usual devious games and tricks. It is how she loves to play with conversation, how she loves immersing her fingers into it, kneading, squashing, smothering it, resulting in her construction of a satisfied entity. Something she will sit back and watch saying to herself, 'I love your work'.

Her eyes bore in to his and he wants to see where it leads, but even more so he wants to see her hindered, obstructed and detoured from her road. To see what she comes up with when her pathway is blocked.

"I really don't want to have to disinfect myself after."

Summer raised an eyebrow, revelling in having a challenge. "I can't give you what I don't got and you already have."

Seth smiled. _God_ this is fun.

His tongue grazed along his bottom lip. "Mmm, cause we didn't stay in the same place on the way to TJ." Summer thought the hazel in his eyes seemed a slight shade vibrant. "Or the same room…and bed."

He expected her to be all 'shh Cohen, don't talk so loud, someone will hear you.' But she just turned around smiling coyly, saying, "I wasn't talking about TJ Cohen. Just in general."

He followed her as she made her way to Marissa and Ryan who were walking up the stairs, making their way in to the school hall.

"Slowly I thaw her icy heart." Seth said after her.

-

School feels weird. Summer doesn't know why, it just the vibe she's feeling. Like when someone says they have a surprise for you and you are not quite sure whether it's going to be good or bad. Bitter sweet. Actually on second thought (she rarely doesn't think stuff over), it is kind of like going to a random party, cause you are not sure how things roll over with these people. But whatever, cause she and Marissa own this school. They just have to find their groove again and firmly place themselves back in to it.

And so the day begins and she actually has a smile on her face. Weird. She goes and attends her classes, but vacantly attends them, just doing the route like how the office bitch does when making the rounds with the coffee drop offs.

She catches up with people, has the talks, not letting much out, just the usual Summer chatting. Saying she is all good, but making it all about them, giving the people their desired _need_ of feeling special.

Summer mentally gags herself. Their words don't even make it to her ears. All people talk lacks any substance, and Summer really can't be bothered.

"Oh really, damn that's a shame." Eye roll.

"No way. He didn't." Yawn.

"Aww. You poor thing." Don't smile, Summer. You can't laugh at her.

Whatev's. No wonder why she hardly saw these people the whole holidays.

They. Are. Boring.

She remembered that distant memory of smiling at the beginning of school. Why was that again?

Thank god she now has a free period though, cause seriously, she was over school already. She wondered if anyone she was (actual) friends with had a free on the same class line.

She decided on trekking over to the student lounge. A latte sounds divine. She slows her speed as she enters the lounge, discreetly assessing the others. Hmm some people think they are on a good thing so they try to drag it out. Summer's can't be bothered with empathy so she ops for the next best. Sympathy. (When did she become so lazy? It just an emotion.) She really does love her view from her horse.

"Done coating yourself with an extra layer…" He drifts off as though he knows that she knows what he is talking.

Summer glared at him. Firstly he is not allowed to break into her thoughts like that. Secondly WTF is he wearing. And thirdly how did he know what she was thinking. And fourthly – there is a fourth? _She is thinking too much about him, well, about how much he is affecting her_. And fourth, why is he here?

Seth just smiled, looking shyly at the inviting couch behind her. "Hi"

She dusts off all thought of him and progresses on to what she previously was doing, before she was rudely interrupted. "A double espresso, honey syrup plus nutmeg, - or – regular, with honey and crushed coffee beans?"

Seth looks at for a moment. Her outfit is so casual, but yet it proclaims a sensual exuberance. It's like she if wearing these clothes, yet her body is stating things of other kinds. But uhh, yea - coffee. "The first one." What were the choices again?

She rubs her left hand over the back of her right. "Kay."

She walks over to the coffee stand letting she trail. "Can I please have a regular with honey and crushed beans." She offers a sweet smile. "Thank you." She has always been about the etiquette.

Seth looked at her blandly. "Thank you for taking my opinion under serious consideration." He said sarcastically.

"But I did." Summer said brightly.

Seth just smiled back. Meh. He turned to the coffee guy. "Just a regular coffee. No need to be fussy."

Seth looked fondly at the coffee cart. "This thing saves people." Not really talking to anyone in particular. "This coffee cart, he is just here to help us, a stepping stone to carry on, to venture on; a bridge to help us for what's next."

Summer looked up at him, but she had an even gaze set on him. "Cohen you don't need to be fussy cause not much doesn't entertain that simple mind." She took hold of the coffee, taking a little sip. Ahh that tastes _sooo_ good.

Seth smiled shrugging back. He took hold of his coffee saying, "At least its always fun in here." He walked off to a couch that Summer was standing next to before.

Summer narrowed her eyes at his retreating form. Umm, why was not pestering her?

She looked around the lounge. She saw a random slew of people but she didn't want to be talked to death by another story she absolutely could not care less about. Okay why did Cohen leave her alone? She took another sip mulling over her answers. Yesterday he asked her out – As in asked her out on a date. As in he wanted to do the dating thing. And now he just says 'Hey' then a couple of his random comments then he is out?

Summer contemplates going over to him and ruffling some feathers, but she doesn't like it when things get messy and untidy. She doesn't like to clean up. She has people to do that for her. So she walks out deciding to have a stroll around, and bump into people.

Lunch arrives and the gears have changed. Seating arrangements are all wacked. She grabs Marissa and they venture out side congruently deciding that the spare table near the left of middle is their spot. The old routine was reapplied and other friends join them.

It's just the same old.

Ryan and Seth walked aimlessly though the cafeteria for a moment, before Seth caught Summer's eye. He smiles his cute smile before carrying on with Ryan to a seat inside.

Hmm

Before they know it, its end of school. Everyone has this joyful expression, like it was such a feat to survive the first day, and that the next gazillion days are going to be so much easier.

Seth trudges over to the car so meet up with Ryan, and all to glad to be ready to be home. But Ryan wanted to wait for Marissa. Go figure. And so they wait.

Two minutes later Marissa and Summer are walking towards them. Ryan walks off to do something Seth doesn't care enough to think about with Marissa., thus leaving Seth and Summer together.

Summer leaned her back against the car, slipping her left foot out of her heels.

"So how was your first day back?" Seth asked in a friendly tone. Summer decides doesn't like his tone.

"Was good." Summer answered back briskly.

After a moment Seth said, "Yeah, mine was good too." He smiles like he knows something. The warm glow from the sun bounces off them. Even the sun is smiling.

Summer rests her hands comfortably in her lap. She looks up at him, but only because she knew that he wasn't looking at her. "You seriously liked it?"

Seth laughed. He figured she wasn't listening and wouldn't have questioned him. "Well it was as good as it could get"

Summer started rubbing her hands together. "Really? Sucks to be you."

"Well not really. It could get a lot better, but who knows what's gonna happen in this place."

"I do."

Seth leaned his head back on the car. "Probably."

He could feel Summer's gaze on him, he wanted to return the gaze but didn't for some reason. "Well at least the water polo team wasn't all over me." He shrugged nonchalantly.

Summer tore her eyes off him placing them on her heels. Her feet hurt. It was the first day; she had a statement to present.

"That's great for you. You should celebrate." She replied in her usual tone.

Seth now looked at her. "I bet you wish you could say that."

Summer pursed her lips as if she was bored, shaking her head from side to side. "Nah I don't… I'm not a dick."

Seth smiled turning his body to face her.

Summer felt his movement. She thought about mirroring him but she was never one to follow, so she stuck her tongue out at him, making sure she didn't make eye contact.

"Crap. School is just starting." He looked over her as if just comign to this conclusion. Her skin looked so soft, achingly smooth, and if memory served him correctly, smelled like fragrance that was exotic and so captivating.

She hasitated, wanted him to keep talking. She waited for what seemed like an eternity, before growing impatient, even though it had been about 3 second.

It wasn't like she was wanting something difficult, Seth basically breathed words.

After another eternity (5 seconds) she turned to return his glance. It was light and jovial. And very Seth Cohen.

Seth leaned his weight on his left foot. "So is school going to be tough for you this year?"

Summer carelessly tucked a strand behind her ear. "I don't know, ill just do my usual."

"Which is what exactly?"

"Winging it"

She produced one of his genuine smiles out of him. "Show your time table and ill give you a heads up."

"Kay"

She handed him her schedule and he talk her through the classes and teachers, giving her heads up on what the teacher's prefer and what they don't. When he was finished he wordlessly handed it back.

Summer smiled saying, "Thanks." Etiquette.

"No problem."

She knew that she made reality out of what he said before about getting her schedule from her by the end of the day. She also knew that he knew too. But it didn't matter. They didn't have to acknowledge it.

Like the first time they kissed. Like how they were in TJ. Like how they are now.

He knows it.

She knows it.

And nobody else needs to know about it.

-

Please review, and tell what you like/dislike.


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